


Eyeliner

by BarPurple



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Inspired By Tumblr, Makeup
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-30
Updated: 2016-08-30
Packaged: 2018-08-11 23:56:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,352
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7912459
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BarPurple/pseuds/BarPurple
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What's a pirate to do when he runs out of kohl?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Eyeliner

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by a Tumblr conversation about Killian's eyeliner  
> http://of-princes-and-savages.tumblr.com/post/149471172606/thatravenclawbitch-oparu-darthmelyanna

Killian swore under his breath and slammed the lid of the chest shut. He’d honestly thought he had a larger supply, but when had he last restocked? Must have been before the First Curse, he’d not met a trader from Agrabah during the year in the Enchanted Forest and while he wasn’t fussy about many things he wasn’t willing to use the sub-par kohl that was acceptable in the Enchanted Forest. He heaved a sigh and wandered into town, at least he knew where he had to go for this particular item.

He kept his head ducked as he walked the early morning streets. He felt as if he’d stepped out half dressed. Kohl had been a part of his morning routine since he first turned pirate; wake, wash, dress, apply kohl, face whatever adventure the world had in store. The kohl went on before his hook, a lesson he’d only need to learn once, he’d probably be more comfortable walking around without the source of his moniker than he did without his eyes properly made-up.

The Beauty Parlour opened on the dot of nine and he was through the door the second it was unlocked. Cassie’s welcoming grin faded a little as she took a good look at his bare eyes. Killian shifted uncomfortably under her scrutiny and frowned as she clapped her hands together with apparent glee.

“You finally run out of kohl! Come in! Come in, take a seat, we have been waiting for this day to come.”

As if her words were a summoning spell another women Killian only knew by sight appeared from the back of the shop.

“Hook needs new eyeliner! Oh happy days!”

The two women grabbed each others hands and danced a little jig. He couldn’t help but smile at their enthusiasm, he normally only got this sort of welcome on Tortuga. He gave them a cocky grin as he dropped himself into the offered chair.

“Sorry to have kept you waiting so long ladies. Can you assist me with what passes for kohl in this realm?”

“Hold tight, we got marvels to rival the markets of Agrabah.”

They weren’t exaggerating. Cassie and Mandy, as he learned the other woman was named, laid out dozens of choices on the counter. 

“You want to stick with black, yes?”

“There are other colours?” Cassie gave him a nod, “Well, if you have the time, I may as well see the lot.”

Cassie flipped the sign to ‘Closed’ as Mandy hurried into the backroom. Killian’s jaw dropped as it took Cassie’s assistant two trips to bring out all of the options. She spotted his surprise and confided; “I wouldn’t normally carry this much variety of one item, but Sheriff Swan mentioned that you were running low, so we stocked up.”

The fact that Emma had noticed the level of his kohl made his heart flip a little. Mandy and Cassie were having a fast silent conversation behind him; they’d clearly forgotten that he was seated before a mirror. After they’d both said to each other; ‘You ask him!’ Killian deliberately cleared his throat.

“Ladies, please ask whatever you desire,” he winked, “Within reason of course.”

They both caught his eye in the mirror and shook their heads at their own antics.

“Okay, how do you apply your kohl?”

“I paint it on with my fingertip.”

“Told you so, Cassie.”

Mandy had obviously scored a point, Killian couldn’t help but marvel that his kohl habits had been the topic of conversation between two ladies he barely knew, he assumed it was professional curiosity, but before he had a chance to ask the ladies began showing him the assembled products.

He ruled out anything that came in a little pot with a brush in the lid, explaining; “Swan uses a thing like that, I can’t open it and get the brush out without making a bloody mess.”

Cassie and Mandy quickly moved those to one side and picked up a selection of pencils.

“How about these?”

The thinner pencils frustrated Killian as it took too long to apply his preferred amount. The thicker ones were better, but with either one he had trouble contorting his hand to apply the substance to his left eye. Cassie wasn’t discouraged.

“It’ll take some practice, I like the green on you, brings out your eyes.”

Killian couldn’t fault her words, his eyes looked bluer, but the idea of wearing the favoured colour of the Wicked Witch made him uncomfortable. He waited until Mandy had taken an image of him with her talking phone, before reaching for one of the cleaning cloths that wiped away all trace of the kohl, he defiantly would be purchasing some of these.

“Why is there shine in this one?”

“Oh that’s glitter, adds an extra bit of sparkle, very popular around holidays.”

“I wear kohl to cut down on glare, surely this is only going to make that worse?”

“You’d think that but once it’s one you don’t notice it at all.”

Killian shrugged and tilted his head back to let Mandy apply the purple shine filled kohl. He had to laugh when he opened his eyes and looked in the mirror. Mandy had given him the same look as her, ‘winged’ he thought was the term. She gasped in horror and reached for one of the cloths.

“I’m so sorry Hook, I used this brand and just did what I do.”

“Not a problem lass, take the photography before I clean it off.”

“Really, you don’t mind having your picture taken like that?”

Killian’s nose scrunched in confusion; “Why would I mind?”

Mandy looked lost, so Cassie stepped in and said; “It’s this realm, there are some strange ideas about men wearing cosmetics. It’s not considered manly by some.”

Killian huffed derisively and shook his head; “I’ve never been called unmanly. This realm has many strange ideas, if I was to start concerning myself with them I’d have time for nothing else.”

He gave Mandy a huge grin as she pressed the button to take the photo, and then wiped the kohl away. The bits of glitter took more work to remove.

“This isn’t going to work for every day, but as you suggest, it maybe fun for the holidays.”

They finally got to the little pots that at least looked familiar to Killian. The first test was opening them; one was so fiddly that it skittered free of his hand and bounced into a corner. Cassie waved a hand and left it were it fell.

“I hate that one, so awkward. Try this one.”

The lid came off easily, Killian dabbed his finger in and rubbed the silky substance between his thumb and fingers.

“You probably won’t need as much as you did with your usual stuff.”

Killian leaned forward and began applying the kohl, it felt good, better even than the kohl he’d once liberated from the Royal Palace in Agrabah. Behind him Cassie and Mandy were having a little giggle.

“Yes, I do make-up faces, have a good giggle, Swan did the first time she watched me do this. I imagine you ladies are just as ridiculous first thing in the morning.”

Cassie had been right, he didn’t need as much as he’d thought; he wiped the excess off onto one of the cloths and sat back and grinned at himself in the mirror.

“Ah, there’s the dashing reformed pirate. This is the one.”

The ladies broke into another jig before Mandy snapped some pictures.

“Can we use that one for our wall?”

One wall of the shop was covered in portraits of happy customers, each one carefully inscribed with the products used.

“I would be honoured to appear with such beauty.”

Killian found himself wrapped in a hug from both ladies. He left with a supply of his new eyeliner and a few packs of those wonderful cleaning cloths. At least now Emma couldn’t chastise him for leaving smudges on the bed linen. Stepping out into the sunshine with his head held high Killian felt fully dressed and ready to face the world.


End file.
